Apparatus for cleaning tubes of evaporators or like apparatus.



No. 632,532. Patented Sept. 5 I899.

C. MABKWOBT.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TUBES 0F EVAPOBATURS 0R LIKE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Dec. 5, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES CHRISTIAN MARKWORT,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF UELZEN, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TUBES OF EVAPORATORS OR LIKE APPARATUS-.-

sPEciFIca'rIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,532, datedSeptember 5, 1899.

Application filed December 5, 1898. Serial No. 698,257. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN MARxWoRr, a subject of the Emperor ofGermany, residing at Uelzen, Empire of Germany, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning the Tubes of Evaporatorsor Like Heating Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Myinvention relates to a new and improved apparatus for cleaning thetubes of evaporators and like heating apparatus during the heating orthe evaporating process, so as to keep the heating-surfaces constantlyclean and the evaporator unchanged in working order for any period ofoperation.

More particularly in heating and evaporating sugar-juice it is of signalimportance to keep the inner surfaces of the evaporatingtubes alwaysclean, as there are considerable excretions from the heated juice, sothat their adhesion to the inner surfaces of the tubes diminishes theconductivity for heat so considerably in a short time as to leave hardlyhalf of the initial power. Yet this is equivalent not only to aninferior utilization of the heat supplied, but at the same time to adisparagement of all the stages following the preparatory heatingsuch assaturation, filtration, evaporation, and crystallization. The apparatushitherto made use of for cleaning the tubes have been insutficientbecause a high cover of scum at the upper mouths of the tubes obviatedthe exact hitting of the apertures of the individual tubes. Moreover,the edges of the tubes which are boarded'for tightening them are damagedby pushing at random the cleaning instrument. Finally, the workmenintrusted with the cleaning, standing as they do on an unsteady bridge,are in constant danger of life. All these inconveniences are obviated bymy invention.

For cleaning the tubes above their mouths from a movable platform thereare introduced one or several cleaners corresponding to the directionsof the axis of the tubes. By shifting the platform so as to beaccommodated to the mouths of the tubes, and likewise by sliding thecleaners on the platform the latter may be moved so that they areexactly above the mouths of the severaltubes and need only be pusheddown for cleaning them. The cleaners are directed by means of scales,which in accordance to the arrangement of the tubes of the evaporatorhad been made once for all. This is rendered possible, as the tubes aregenerally arranged in two rows or two principal directions crossing eachother and as the distances between the neighboring tubes are equal.

Having now made clear the object of my invention, I come to the actualconstruction thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,\vhich form a part of my specification andin which similar letters refer throughout to similar parts, Figure 1shows a plan view of an evaporator or a like heating apparatus furnishedwith the cleaner-embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation,part in section, of the same. Fig. 3 shows a scheme of the ar rangementof the scales corresponding wit the tubes of the evaporator.

Above the evaporator or like heating apparatus a there is the movableplatform b, the supporting-wheels of which 0 are running on rails (Z,arranged parallel to each other on either side of the evaporator. Achain c is wound around guiding-rollers f and regulating-wheels g,either fixed at one end or loosely slung at both ends overtension-rollers h with weights t' attached. Each regulating-wheel g iskeyedupon a spindle bearing a handwheel 70, by the rotation of which ineither direction the platform may be moved to and fro between thetension-rollers h h. The platform is provided With a slit Z, parallel toone of the chief directions of the rows of the tubes. By this slit Z asliding carriage n is guided on rollers and bears an index operpendicular to the slit. Another index 0 has the direction of the axisof the slit. Parallel to the slit--i.c. ,parallel to one row of thetubes of the evaporator-there is a scale g on the platform, and anotherscale p is parallel to the direction in which the platform moves. As theindex 0 and the scale 19 serve to fix the position of the platform,theindex o 'may be fixed on its outside, in which case the scale 19 must bearranged on the platform itself. On the scale 19 the distances of theaxis of the tube-rows and on the scale p those of the individual tubeswithin one row are marked by dashes, which drawn out to the points ofintersection would give an exact idea of the arrangement of theindividual tube-axis.

The tube-cleaner r is guided by its rod q exactly in the point ofintersection of the center lines of the pointers 0 and 0 so that theaxis of the cleaner r is perpendicular to the center line of the slit Zand in that point- Where the center line of the pointer 'm cuts thatline. Supposing the center line of the slit Z to be perpendicular to theaxis of one row and the point of the cleaner to be in the axis-line ofone tube drawn out, then, if the sliding carriage n is moved in the slitZ so that the index 0, successively points to each dash of the scale19', the cleaner will be successively placed above the several months ofall the tubes of this row,and by pushing down the cleaner the whole rowwill be cleaned successively. If, then, the platform is moved about oneinterval of the rows after another, by directing the pointer 0 to thesuccessive dashes of the scale 19 the tubes of the different rows may becleaned in the same manner as described with regard to the tubes withinone row. It is evident, providing that the tubes be exactly arranged andthe pointers be exactly directed to the correspondent dashes of thescales, that the axis of the cleaner with mathematical exactness mustcoincide with the axis of each tube, and that any injury of thetightened edges of the tubes will be avoided.

The shifting of the platform by one interval of the scale p may befacilitated by connecting the hand-wheel 7a with a ratchet-Wheel,allowing the rotation of the hand-wheel 7t only in-termittingly and atan amount which corresponds to one interval of the'scale 12 The cleanerof the tubes by being pushed down into the latter conveniently consistsof a rod (1, which is conveyed in the direction of the axis of the tubesand is provided at the inferior end with a scraper r or with wirebrushes, whereas the upper end bears a bandle s. As all the movements ofthe cleaner for directing it to the tube-axis are performed outside theevaporator and the axis of the cleaner exactly coincides withthat of there spective tube even if the tube-mouths are covered with scum, which isalways the case in sugar-manufactories, it is evident that the cleaningof the tubes during the evaporation is actually done by this invention.

In order to secure the exact movements of the cleaner, it is sufficientto arrange the chain only on one side, because, as will be seen from thedrawings, the guiding-rollers t exclude any irregular shifting of theplatform. At the same time it is sufficient to make use of only oneregulating-wheel, while the drawings exhibit another, so that one mayserve for forward and the other forbackward movement.

In order to direct the cleaner to a certain that the like marks on boththe scales corre- 8o spond to the outside tubes of each row, as to beseen from Fig. 3 in the drawings. Supposing the tube-rows,which theplatform mov:

ing from left to right hand passes 'by one after another, are signed 1,2, 3, 850., ins creasing to the middle and from there decreas ing byone, so that rows equidistant fromthe middle bear the same numbers. Inthis case the dash-marks of the second scale are so chosen that thosewhich correspond to the 0 first and the last tube of the first row, andthus at the same time to the last row, (likewise marked 1,) also hearthe number 1. The neighboring dashes (in the direction from top, thebottom in the sense of the drawings, Fig. 3) then bear the numbers 2, 3,&c.- As the tube-rows generally are alter-' nating one with the other,one dash of the respective scale must be skipped at each shifting of theslide carriage-11. e., if the slide-carriage shall be placed above therows of the even numbers it must be directed to the even dashes of thesecond scale, and if it shall be placed above the odd rows it must bedirected to the odd dashes of the second scale. In order to mark therequisite posi tions more distinctly, the even and'the odd dashes ofboth the scales may be distin:- guished by difierent colors.

In the drawings only one evaporator or no like heating apparatus isshown as provided r with the cleaner, yet it is evident from theforegoing description that any number of evaporators or like heatingapparatus may be worked by one cleaner, it being only necmy I essary tolengthen the rails beyond this evap orator and to lay them over theother. If the tube-rows of the other evaporators have the samedistances, the same scales and the same slit of the platform may be madeuse of for all the evaporators, provided that the direction of the rowsis the same, orelse for each different position of the tubes of oneevaporator special scales, and, if necessary, also special slits, are tobe provided, or the :25 platform must be not only movable to. and fro,but must also be rotated like a turntable.

The safety of the workmen from danger is warranted partly by coveringthe evaporator 0 by means of the platform, partly by its fence, and sothe other improvement aimed at is actually attained by this invention.

I do not limit the invention to all of the details and structuralfeatures shown in the drawings and described above, since many of thesame may be modified Within the skill of the mechanic Without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-' 1. In an improved cleaner for the vertical tubes of evaporator-sand like heating appa-' ratus the combination of a horizontally-movableplatform or cover, a slit therein, a sliding carriage mounted to moveover the slit, a rod guided vertically in the said sliding carriage,pointers fixed on the platform and sliding carriage and scales arrangedopposite the pointers for indicating the position of the cleaning-toolWith respect to the different tubes, substantially as set forth.

2. In a cleaner for tubes the combination said pointers, and havingnumbers in connection with the scale-marks so arranged that the firstand the last tube of a row and the first and last tube ofa cross-row areindicated by one and the same number on both the scales, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

Signed this 5th day of November at Han over, Germany.

CHRISTIAN MARKWORT. Witnesses: Y

W. K. ANDERSON, LEONORE RAsoH.

